Toyota To Show Off Camatte57s Concept, A Car Kids Can Drive

Toyota rolls out the ultimate kit car you can build and drive with your kids.

Detachable body panels, a tube frame chassis, and open top motoring to let the air go through your comb over. But, this car isn’t for you. It’s for your kids.

Toyota will be bringing a new “open-top family-oriented concept” to the Kids Life Zone at the International Tokyo Toy Show called Camatte57s, an assemble-it-yourself kit car that is more like a lifesize Meccano than a traditional, road-going automobile.

The goal is to bring parents and kids together with cars. The Camatte57s has 57 customizable panels to change the look of the car easily and quickly. Also, two sets of pedals allow your young one to drive and you to play driver’s ed instructor.

Motivation is provided by an electric motor, though no specifics are given on power or range.

Like many cool things, consider this a children’s fantasy. But, seriously, how rad is this?

TOYOTA CITY, Japan – Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) is to display a sporty, open-top family-oriented concept in the Kids Life Zone at the International Tokyo Toy Show 2013, which runs from June 13 through June 16 at Tokyo Big Sight in Koto Ward, Tokyo.

The concept, called the “Camatte57s,” is aimed at bringing parents and children closer together as they work in collaboration on building their ideal car. The vehicle aims to convey the joy and dreams of motor vehicles to current and future drivers, by providing an opportunity for parents and children to together experience the fun of driving, car customization and car enthusiasm.

Compared to the “Camatte” concept exhibited in 2012, the Camatte57s allows an even greater ease and range of customization possibilities.

The vehicle body exterior consists of 57 detachable small lightweight panels to allow easy and extensive color and design customization.

2) Open-top roadster styling with compact and intimate interior

The roofless design offers a liberating driving experience while also enhancing visibility to increase ease of customization.

Seats are in a closely arranged triangular configuration with one front seat and two rear seats to emphasize family intimacy and facilitate communication.

3) Even children can drive

Acceleration and braking pedals and seats can be adjusted to enable operation by children, while an adult seated in the rear-right seat assists steering and braking to help develop the child’s driving skills.

Camatte57s Main Specifications

Length

3,000 mm

Width

1,440 mm

Height

1,000 mm

Wheelbase

1,800 mm

Seating capacity

3

Propulsion

Electric motor

Note: The name Camatte is based on the Japanese word for care and is meant to signify “caring for others” and “caring for cars.” The “s” stands for the Japanese word sawaru, which means totouch. The name thus reflects the idea that people should feel more intouch with each other and with vehicles.